We’re back with Real Weddings Wednesdays! You know the drill — and if you don’t, no worries! Today we’re celebrating the love between Madeline + Leandro, captured wonderfully by Fits & Stops Photography. With a gorgeous reception at the Black Oak Mountain Vineyards, this chic and classy ceremony is one you won’t want to miss. Keep scrolling so can read about how the couple met, how they got engaged, their planning process, and more. Happy Wednesday folks, and happy reading!
Tell us a little about you and your beloved.
We were both at a community event, and Madeline was the stage host. She took a quick 5-minute bite for dinner. She was literally stuffing her face when a man came out from the crowd and said, “Hi” with a huge smile. She looked up, said “Hi!” and left to jump back up on stage. That stranger was Leandro. It’s not his usual character to walk up to pretty girls and say hi, but something gave him the urge to do it anyway. A month later, a mutual friend asked Madeline to reach out to “some guy” on social media so she could include him in future events. That “some guy” was Leandro. We messaged every once in a while, saw each other here and there, and a few months later hung out at get-togethers with mutual friends. We ended up bonding over hikes, star gazing, painting, and dock crabbing. Next thing we knew, we “fell in friends”. Just seven days before Madeline was moving to another state, we ended up having a talk and realized we’ve developed feelings for each other. But we both decided to give each other time to figure out what we wanted to do, and we can talk about it at the end of the week. Leandro had a rule to not do long distance relationships. But he didn’t need the whole week to decide that he wanted to be involved with Madeline. The next day, he told her that he wanted to give it a try. We dated for less than a week, then Madeline moved. Even though we were in different states, we stayed exclusive, and Leandro eventually moved too – near Madeline. After a few months in the relationship, Leandro told her that he was the stranger who walked out from the crowd to say hello. She can’t believe she doesn’t remember when she first met the love of her life! [For the proposal], it was a Friday night, and Madeline’s family was getting together for a family photo shoot for her mom’s birthday. When she arrived, she started working on a project that she had to redo and submit that night. Madeline’s sister went to get her from the other room for the family photos. Madeline follow her out to a silent house (that’s because she was being led to the backyard where their dad’s hand-built gazebo was covered with curtain lights, wisteria, and flowers). It wasn’t a family photo shoot at all, but a surprise proposal. Leandro planned an amazing and beautiful proposal with the help of Madeline’s family. Her sisters came up with a cover story that it was for their mom’s birthday photos, and her brother-in-law had one camera angle while another was set up for a different angle. Her whole family was in on it. Madeline, shocked and frozen in place, saw Leandro in a suit, all handsome, and cold after secretly waiting outside on a cold November night for over an hour! But he warmed up when he saw her appear from the two French doors. Leandro’s big and happy smile made Madeline’s heart skip. He waved her over and she stepped out. She had on a black cocktail dress, undone hair (“It was supposed to be mom’s moment, not mine!”) and tan rubber flip-flops on! That’s what happens when you get surprised! [For the wedding planning], we shared ideas and really wanted to make it a day for both of us. Neither of us had specific ideas coming into our engagement, but we discussed all of the details and agreed on everything. We both stayed involved from beginning to end, and at the end of the day, we had a great time celebrating our wedding day with the closest of family and friends in our specific L&M style.
What was the best part of your wedding day?
How can we pick just one? We both agree an amazing moment was the time when we were getting ready the morning of the wedding. We shared emotional moments with each of our parents, and it was a bonding moment for us and our chosen groomsmen and bridesmaids. At the ceremony, Leandro’s favorite moment was saying his vows to Madeline, and feeling the love and support from his loved ones during that moment. Madeline’s favorite moment was when the officiant pronounced them husband and wife. During the reception, we both paused, looked around, and soaked in the love and joy from our guests. Madeline’s special moment was when her dad dedicated a song to her at the reception. At that moment, she thought of all the nights as a little girl falling asleep to his singing – days that feel so long ago. Just in general, being surrounded by our closest friends and family who took the time to celebrate with us on this special occasion is one of the best feelings.
What else would you like to share about your big day?
We had a unique reception. The producer in Madeline wanted to entertain our guests with a show. We had some of our closest and most talented family and friends be part of a musical based on our relationship, Musical Love Story. It was awesome to watch our story unfold before our eyes with songs dedicated from our closest loved ones.
What advice would you give to our readers who are planning their weddings right now?
As much as we work so hard for our day to be perfect, sometimes the imperfections are what add a little character to the day – even when you hire professionals! Turn to each other for support during all phases of your wedding so you can soak up every moment of the togetherness and celebration. Don’t forget you’re celebrating your love, too!
Photos courtesy of and copyright Fits & Stops Photography used with permission.
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